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Identification and characterization of a novel miR159 target not related to MYB in tomato

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Abstract

MicroRNA 159 (miR159) is a highly conserved miRNA with roles in flowering under short days, anther development and seed germination via repression of GAMYB-like genes. In tomato, the function of miR159 (Sl-miR159) is currently unknown and target transcripts have not been experimentally validated. Here, we identified and characterized a new miR159 target gene (SGN-U567133) in Solanum lycopersicum (tomato) that is not related to MYB. SGN-U567133 is predominantly expressed in flowers and encodes a nuclear-localized protein that contains a unique NOZZLE-like domain at its N terminus. In tomato, SGN-U567133 represents a small gene family and orthologs have been identified in other plant species, all containing a conserved miR159 target site in their coding sequence. Accordingly, 5′-RACE cleavage assay supported miRNA-mediated cleavage of SGN-U567133 transcripts in vivo. Moreover, the SGN-U567133 transcript accumulated in P19-HA-expressing tomato leaves in which miRNA-mediated cleavage is inhibited. In addition, transgenic tomato plants expressing a miR159-resistant form of SGN-U567133 accumulated higher levels of the SGN-U567133 transcript and exhibited defects in leaf and flower development. Together, our results suggest that SGN-U567133 represents a novel class of miR159 targets in plants and raise the possibility that its post-transcriptional regulation by Sl-miR159 is essential for normal tomato development.

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Abbreviations

miR159:

MicroRNA 159

miRNA:

Micro RNA

Tomato:

Solanum lycopersicum

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the BARD grant IS-4033-07 and by a grant from the Chief Scientist of the Israel Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development number: 256-0690-05 to T.A. This is contribution no. 120/2010 series from the Agricultural Research Organization, the Volcani Center, Israel.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Plant Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, PO Box 6, Bet Dagan, 50250, Israel

    Kobi Buxdorf, Anat Hendelman, Ran Stav, Moshe Lapidot & Tzahi Arazi

  2. The Robert H. Smith Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Rehovot, Israel

    Naomi Ori

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  1. Kobi Buxdorf
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  2. Anat Hendelman
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  6. Tzahi Arazi
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Correspondence to Tzahi Arazi.

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Buxdorf, K., Hendelman, A., Stav, R. et al. Identification and characterization of a novel miR159 target not related to MYB in tomato. Planta 232, 1009–1022 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00425-010-1231-9

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